


Best Laid Plans

by sanctum_c



Series: Tub Fics [5]
Category: Final Fantasy VII (Video Game 1997)
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Canon, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Bad Weather, Bathing/Washing, Bathtubs, Cold, F/F, Hotels, Kalm (Compilation of FFVII), Rain, Undressing
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-09-10
Updated: 2016-09-10
Packaged: 2021-03-10 07:15:38
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,316
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27729382
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sanctum_c/pseuds/sanctum_c
Summary: Aeris and Tifa are caught out in the rain and need to get warm.
Relationships: Aerith Gainsborough/Tifa Lockhart
Series: Tub Fics [5]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2179503
Comments: 4
Kudos: 35





	Best Laid Plans

"I mean it," Aeris stammered as her teeth chattered. "I am not going outside ever again."

"Isn't that going to make life a little difficult?"

"No. I will live in the bath and order room service for the rest of my days," Aeris insisted.

Tifa looked up at her from the nearly filled bath. Her girlfriend was hugging her shoulders and shivering in the middle of the bathroom. "You'd be warmer if you took your clothes off," she noted and pulled the robe's sleeve higher up her arm. The water was hot as she swirled it around and topped with plenty of faintly perfumed bubbles.

"Too cold," Aeris replied edging closer and staring into rising water. "Need to get warm first, then I get undressed."

"But don't you need to take them off-"

"Oh, no, no," Aeris interrupted, shaking her head. Her braid clung wetly to the back of her jacket. "I'll get in, then worry about my clothes. I need heat Tifa."

Tifa sighed and swirled the water. Nearly the right temperature. She could at least sympathise with Aeris - to a point. The rain had caught them both by surprise earlier. Today should have started with a stroll around town while they figured out their next destination. Instead the weather decided to punish them both for bringing neither coat nor umbrella when they were ten minutes into the surrounding grasslands. Dark clouds were overhead almost before they noticed and the heavens opened mere moments later. The couple beat a hasty retreat to their room at the Kalm inn, rushing for cover as best they could. But in a matter of minutes there ceased to be any point - both soaked through and shivering, courtesy of a chill breeze accompanying the rain.

There was little recourse but a wet trudge through the streets to the hotel and hope no one noticed them leaving massive damp patches in their wake. As soon as they got back Tifa started the bath off. But while she rid herself of her soaked clothing and put on a robe, Aeris did little besides tug her boots off and create an increasingly large puddle on the bathroom floor.

"Well, hope it's not too hot," Tifa said twisting the taps off. The water level was higher than intended, and a few bubbles escaped over the sides.

"I don't think that's possible." Aeris shuffled forwards.

"Are you really-" Tifa fell silent as Aeris dipped her still clothed foot into the bath. She sighed happily. "Oh, that's good." Aeris murmured and sent a surge of water onto the floor as she sat down. "This is... heaven." She lay back and closed her eyes, her clothes now even more waterlogged and floating around her. She looked happy but at the same time faintly ridiculous. Tifa smiled and turned to leave Aeris to it- "You can get in too. There's plenty of room."

Tifa turned back to find Aeris watching her. "It's fine," she said, pulling her sash tighter. "I'm not feeling too bad. I'll just get in the bed and read for a bit." Aeris looked unconvinced. "I'll get the next one, so, enjoy."

Aeris reached for her. "Don't be silly. Bet you the bath will be better than the bed." She snagged Tifa's sash; Tifa shuffled forward to prevent her undoing it. "The water's lovely." She smiled in that special Aeris way that had on previous occasions put Tifa in the mindset of letting her get away with almost anything.

"Sure there's enough room?" Tifa asked. The water did look so very tempting - plus Aeris was already in it.

"Plenty. You're wearing too much though," Aeris said.

"This coming from you?" Tifa slid the robe off and hung it on the door. Aeris was grinning when she turned back, her gaze carefully on Tifa's face. More than likely she had been watching every move Tifa made. Naturally. The heat washed right through Tifa, warming even her chilled bones as she stepped into the water.

"See?" Aeris pulled her legs up, her hands vanishing under the water; her sodden socks smacked against the tiled floor with a damp splash a moment later. "That feels even better," she said, stretching out, her wriggling toes ghosting along Tifa's leg.

"You're still over-dressed for the bath," Tifa murmured, her eyes almost closed.

"While true, it almost sounds like you want to get me naked," Aeris shot back, teasing her.

"You can stay dressed if you like," Tifa replied. "But the water feels really good like this." Aeris met her contented gaze and sat up to shrug her bolero jacket off. Her fingers struggled with the buttons on her dress. "Need a hand?" Aeris frowned down at her clothing.

"Maybe," she replied. Another fumbling attempt, tugging the fabric this way and that. "No good, fingers are all numb."

Tifa shuffled forwards and quickly undid the top two buttons. "There."

Aeris bit her lip. "Could you do the rest? Please?"

"I thought they were supposed to stay done up?" Aeris looked a little embarrassed now.

"They are, but I don't want to pull the whole thing over my head right now." So much easier if she had just gotten undressed. Then again- Tifa nodded and carried on, her hands brushing against breast, stomach and thigh. Tifa peeled the soaked garment away from Aeris's skin and wrung as much of the water out as she could. Her attempt to throw it at the towel trail was not a complete success; the dress hit the intended target, but immediately slid into a crumpled heap on the floor. Fine for now. They would need to hang everything up later. And hopefully find somewhere to do the laundry.

Aeris fumbled under the water again and extracted her underwear - her panties joined her socks with another splash. The catch on her bra seemed to be giving her problems. "Tifa?" she asked imploringly, gesturing to her sole remaining article of clothing.

Tifa fought back another grin, covering it with an exaggerated sigh. Aeris leant into her - closer than necessary, but right now the closeness was appealing; even if her skin was still freezing. Aeris tensed as Tifa's fingers fumbled with the catch, shoulders relaxing as it unhooked. "Thanks," Aeris sighed quietly and slipped off the last of her clothing.

"Better?" Tifa asked.

"Much," Aeris replied and fidgeted. "Just a shame the water's not deeper." She shuffled forward a bit, her feet brushing against Tifa's legs again. "I would have liked to get my shoulders underwater." She rubbed arms, still looking cold and leant back again, her chest above the thick layer of bubbles.

"Definitely not enough room," Tifa agreed cautiously stretching out to find her foot sliding along Aeris's thigh.

"Well, there is an option we can try," Aeris said quietly. Her tone did not match the swiftly hidden grin on her face.

"Oh?"

"Yeah." Aeris shuffled around so she was facing away from Tifa. "If you move forward and then lean back..." She glanced at her over her shoulder.

Tifa bit back her own smile. "I think I see where you're going. Like this?" Tifa slide her hips forward, her legs now either side of Aeris.

"Just like that," Aeris murmured.

Tifa slid further down into the tub, her hair hanging over the edge and her shoulders slipping beneath the bubbles and water. Aeris lay back against her, the water welling higher again and forcing Tifa to shuffle up to keep her mouth above water. Aeris's skin was warming nicely now, the chill still there but fading fast. "Didn't expect to be doing this today." Tifa kissed Aeris's hair.

"Do you mind though?" Aeris asked as she wriggled into a more comfortable position.

"Not in the slightest." Tifa curled her arms around Aeris's waist and pressed her lips to her hair. Her partner tilted her head; their lips met as they lay surrounded by the hot water.


End file.
